Summary of Our Services

If You Are Ready To Get Published

We Can Help

Editing Process

YCDA, LLC will:

Provide feedback on book.
As an experienced author, Darril Gibson has a significant amount of experience. Once you decide to sign with us, he will provide feedback on anything he sees that could improve the quality of your book.

Coordinate your hiring of an editor.
We will help you find an editor that can provide quality editing at a reasonable price. Note that you will pay the editor, but once you’ve hired the editor, we will manage the process between you and the editor.

Coordinate the editing process.
There are many details that can streamline this process but when they are omitted can make things extremely difficult. YCDA, LLC will use our experience to ensure the editing process is as smooth as possible.

Layout Process

YCDA, LLC will:

Coordinate layout of the book.
This can often be one of the more technical phases of the book production. We’ll identify the best layout design for your book but will also consult with you on possible options. Depending on several factors, we might do the layout in-house or we might outsource the layout. Either way, we handle the costs associated with the layout of the book.

Provide you with a file proof.
Once the book is laid out in a file format, we’ll provide you with a file proof. This gives you another opportunity to review the book and make any last minute edits.

Book Cover Process

YCDA, LLC will:

Provide guidance on the book cover design.
There are many things to consider when designing a book cover and we’ll provide you with some information but also involve you in the decision making process.

Coordinate your hiring of a book cover designer.
The best book covers are designed by professionals. We’ll put in touch with book cover designers that can create quality book covers for reasonable fees.

Provide feedback on the design.
Book cover designers typically provide you with more than one option on book covers giving you choices. We’ll provide you with feedback on these options and work with you to identify the book cover that you like and also is likely to generate the most sales.

Creating an Author Platform

The most frustrated authors aren’t the ones that aren’t published. Instead, the most frustrated authors are typically the ones that have written and published books that just aren’t bought or read.

An author platform is a combination of technologies that get you known as an author. Editors and agents typically want authors to have a strong author platform before an author is signed. The best author platforms aren’t sales or marketing platforms but instead provide a service to the author’s readers. In other words, the best author platforms come from a place of service. The best part of this is that you can create an author platform based on what you love and know. By sharing your passion and knowledge, you help others at the same time that you are building your platform.

It’s common for new authors without an Internet presence to be a little intimidated by this. Don’t worry. That’s natural. However, it doesn’t need to be difficult or even that time consuming. Once you get some pieces in place, you can simply schedule your activity in less than an hour a week and we’ll let you know how.

YCDA, LLC will:

Provide guidance on creating an author platform.
The time to start creating an author platform is well before it goes to print. As a matter of fact, if you wait that long, it’s almost too late. An author platform provides you with a voice to capture your audience and generate interest long before your book is published. A typical author platform uses a website and one or more social media outlets. We’ll coach you on what you can do to establish and build your author platform.

Provide guidance on book launch.
A book launch date is a random date shortly after the book is available where you can focus efforts to let people know about your book. We’ll give you information on multiple things you can do to plan the launch and generate interest in your book. Successful book launches can often give your book strong momentum.

You’ll rarely hear this from many traditional publishers early in the process, but the truth is, they expect you to market your book. They might spend some time and effort to market it right after publication, but if it doesn’t get any traction, don’t be surprised if they quickly lose interest and stop.

Publication Process

YCDA, LLC will:

Submit appropriate files to printers/distributors.
We’ll ensure the files are in the appropriate format for printers and distributors. There are many technical issues at this stage that can stop or delay a book from being printed and distributed, but we’ve learned the process and as long the printer/distributor doesn’t change their technical requirements, we’ll get this done the first time.

Ensure book is available for sale on Amazon.
Amazon is a powerful sales platform trusted by customers. You want to make sure you book is available for sale there so that your readers can easily find and buy it.

Ensure book is available for purchase from bookstores.
Despite the strength of Amazon, books are still sold in brick and mortar bookstores and most authors want bookstores to be able to buy their books. While we can make sure that they are easily available using standards that bookstores are accustomed to, we do not guarantee that bookstores will stock your books. (I’d suggest you be wary of anyone that gives you this guarantee.)

Explore other options.
There are multiple other options for selling books and we will explore these with you to help get your book out to the widest audience.

Sales Process

YCDA, LLC will:

Monitor sales and pay you royalties.
We will monitor sales of your book and pay you royalties on a quarterly basis. Our contract will spell out the specific dates when you can expect payments for specific quarters.

Sell books to you.
Authors often want to purchase additional books to sell directly to customers, give away, or bring to speaking engagements. We will sell them to you at cost + 10% and you’ll pay for shipping. The cost per book is on a sliding scale. The more books you buy, the less you’ll pay per book. Similarly, the cost of shipping is on a sliding scale and you get discounts for higher volume shipments. Exact costs aren’t known until the book is finalized.

Your Costs

$250 activation fee.
This starts the process. There’s a lot of time and effort that goes into signing an author and this nominal fee offsets some of the costs. More importantly, it shows that the author is truly committed to the project and has some “skin in the game.”

Editing fees (directly to editor).
YCDA, LLC will help you find a quality editor that charges reasonable fees. Once you hire the editor, YCDA, LLC will manage the editing process between you and the editor.

Book cover fees (directly to book cover designer).
YCDA, LLC will help you find a quality book cover designer that charges reasonable fees. Once you hire the designer, YCDA, LLC will work with you and the book cover designer to create an appealing cover.

Cost of any books you want to purchase.
If you want to purchase any books, YCDA, LLC will sell them to you at cost plus 10% and you’ll pay for shipping. You can use these to sell directly to customers from your website, bring to speaking engagements, or for any other purpose you desire.